NEW YORK – India secured a dramatic five-wicket victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in the Asia Cup final, clinching the trophy for a record-extending ninth time. The thrilling match, which swung wildly between the two sides, concluded with Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulating Suryakumar Yadav’s men on their triumphant effort.
#OperationSindoor on the games field.
Outcome is the same – India wins!
Congrats to our cricketers.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 28, 2025
Soon after the conclusion of the nail-biting encounter, PM Modi took to X (formerly Twitter) to celebrate the win, referencing a military operation:
“#OperationSindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same – India wins! Congrats to our cricketers,” said Modi in his post.
Match Highlights: A Tale of Two Comebacks
The final was far from the one-sided affairs seen earlier in the tournament. India’s victory was built on two monumental comebacks.
Bowling Dominance: Earlier in the match, India’s spin attack dismantled Pakistan after a rapid start. Pakistan had raced to 84 without loss in just overs before Kuldeep Yadav applied the brakes, taking a match-turning four-wicket haul to help India bundle out the opposition for just 146 runs.
Chasing Under Pressure: The chase proved challenging. India suffered a horror start, losing key wickets, including the tournament’s tempo-setter Abhishek Sharma and the format’s finest batsman, Suryakumar Yadav, in quick succession. India found themselves staggering at for three.
The recovery was led by Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson, who stitched together a crucial -run stand of “ice and fire,” stabilizing the innings. Though Samson departed, the young Tilak Varma steered the side through choppy waters, finishing unbeaten on off balls. The defining moment came from Rinku Singh, who remarkably struck a winning boundary off the only ball he faced all tournament long, sealing the five-wicket victory.
India’s Dominance
This final marked the third time India defeated Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 tournament, having previously won the group stage fixture by seven wickets and the Super Fours match by six wickets.
India has now won the Asia Cup nine times, solidifying their position as the most successful team in the tournament’s history. This victory also marks their second consecutive title overall, following their win in the ODI format in 2023. Sri Lanka remains the second most successful team with six titles, while Pakistan has won the tournament twice.
Source: Indian Express
